Roof and elements for the construction thereof



Spt. 17, 193 5.

w. L. ROWE 2,015,020

ROOF AND ELEMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION THEREOF Filed March 16, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sepfi 17, 11935.. L ROWE ZfifififiQ ROOF AND ELEMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION THEREOF Filed Margh l6, l93l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iwis %7 72 9 Patented Sept. 17, 19-35 PATENT OFFICE ROOF AND ELEMENTS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION THEREOF William L. Rowe, New York, N. Y., assignor to Johns-Manville Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 16, 1931, Serial No. 522,814

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a roof built of slates, shingles or tiles of cut sheet material natural or fabricated, hereinafter referred to as shingle units, to shingle units therefor, and to a fastener clip for conjoining otherwise free ends or edges of such shingle units. The shingle units may be rigid, flexible or semi-flexible fabricated composite plates, shingles, or tiles of any sheet ma? terial suitable for roofing.

One object of this invention is to provide for the rapid and accurate construction of wellspaced and fastened courses of shingle units, and i to provide for the anchorage of the exposed or free side or end of shingle structures against wind or storm stresses, or in opposition to any other tendency to displacement in such a. way as to avoid direct attachment of the anchor or clip during erection or provided in uniform shingle units, which extend through only the uppermost layer of the overlapped shingle units, but which shall nevertheless constitute, in place, a wholly reliable anchor or binder for the shingle units to which it is applied, which shall be of good appearance, and which shall enable a roof formed of shingle units and said clips to be securely attached to the roof deck or sheathing by ordinary nails driven through underlying and concealed parts of the shingle units. Another object of the invention is to provide a roof of overlapped shingle units in which the relation of overlapped areas to the exposed surfaces hasbeen decreased without sacrifice of efficient protection against water seepage.

The invention will be explained with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a detafl of a roof laid in the so-called honeycomb-lap of hexagonal shingle units, parts being broken away to show underlying structures;

Fig. 2 is a detail section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one ofthe clips before application;

Fig. 4 is a section in plan on'the line 4-4 of F a. 3: i I

' hind the perforated shingle -unit.

'Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the clip shown-in Fi 3;

Fig. 6 is a plan of the clip shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a corresponding plan of a modified formof one of the clips; 5

Fig. 8 is a plan of a detailv of a roof showing one use of the device of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of one species of shingle unit illustrative of the genus of the invention; and 10 Fig. 10 is a detail showing a. half shingle for a starting course.

Familiar practice in the construction of a roof of fabricated composite sheets, for example, asbestos and cement or other flat plastic aggregate sheet units, is to anchor down the otherwise free ends of the shingle units by a so-called storm anchor, usually a flange-headed soft metal nail or bolt placed head down, and threaded from beneath through registering holes in the free ends of overlapped shingle units, for exam vple according to the United States patent to Wm. B. Black No. 1,775,085, September 9, 1930. This necessitates applying the shingle units over a placed anchor of this kind by the sense of touch, since the entrance of the point of the anchor into a hole for it is from beneath or be- This has to be done in relation to two of the overlapped units. This operation is slow and difficult. When placed, and the shingles nailed at their top ends or remote sides, these anchors are clinched over and hammered down. Uniformity of the exterior appearance of the anchors and avoidance of breakage of the shingles is not attained except by skilled workmen. Referring now to Figs. 2 to 6, this invention provides for fastening together the overlapping edges or ends of superposed shingle units by the metal clip I, which in a preferred form comprises a U-shaped malleable metallic instrument having a base 2, which may be flattened and tapered, an; integral upturn 3, and overlying top 4, the length" of the portion 3 being such as to"bridge the butts or overlapped edges of two shingle units l0, l0 embraced between the base 2 and top 4. Separation of the shingle units is prevented by the tensile strength, of. portion 3 and stiffness of the base 2 and top 4, which preferably is retained inplace by penetration through and clinching of its end 5 under the upper shingle I 0 through a hole a. This is made possible by integrally forming the upper arm 4 of the clip I with an'integral end 5. made as a downturned hook. As shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, the hook 5rmay' be swaged toa tape'r in a plane perpendicular to that of the portions 3 and 4 to permit the hook portion 5 to bend more easily in the plane of the portions 3 and 4 than in another dimension. To facilitate applying the clip the base 2 may be swaged to a taper in a plane perpendicular to the portion 3 so as to terminate in an expanded wedge-shaped point at 6. For hard shingles, the holes a may be preformed according to a gauge or jig, and'clinching of the points 5 may comprise inserting them through the hole a and finishing the structure by a hammer blow on the top 4, after the clip is placed with its wedge end 6 and base 2 under the free end or side of the underlying shingle III.

In some situations, as for an instance illustrated in Fig. 8, it is an advantage and convenience to the workman to displace the arms 2 and 4 from the same plane. For example, Fig. 7, the member 3 may be subjected to torsion, if desired by the workman applying it, so as to turn off the base 2 to the left as shown, or to the right at an angle of or thereabouts. In this case when the base 2 has been placed under the butt of one of the shingles III for example, Fig. 8, the clip I may be fully entered under the shingle unit Ill and the hook 5'brought over the hole in the overlapped shingle for entrance, as mentioned above.

The preferred material of manufacture for the clips I or I is an annealed wire,-preferably a wire of a soft metal, such as copper, bronze or soft brass. I do not exclude manufacture of any soft metal such as wrought'iron, or any of the malleable rustless ferrous or aluminum alloys; in many cases ordinary iron or steel is a satisfactory material, especially if coated or galvanized.

In the preferred form, see Fig. 3, the center line of the hook 5 may be bent at an angle to the top 4 of about more or less, and the top 4 may be bent away from the portion 3 at an obtuse angle to provide a space between the point 5 and, the point 6 at least equal to the thickness of two superimposed shingle units. v

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 9, clips of the kind explained are usefulin many forms of construction, for example as illustrated by the construction shown, Fig. 1, of a honeycomb or fish-scale shingle lay, for which according to this invention shingle units III of lozenge or laterally symmetrical rhombic or scalene par llelogram form, with one or more truncated comers, are provided with notches I2 near their truncated abutting lateral ends, and with holes a at a predetermined distance from the notch I2 at one end of the unit I 0 for the clips I, which are thus placed to one side of the center line of the usually truncated lower points 20 of the outer of the lapped shingle units. At this place the shingle units have a three-ply overlap, Fig. 2.

The clips I may aid in the performance of placing the shingles uniformly. For example, as shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the units are provided with symmetrically and accurately placed preperforated nail holes d near their truncated lateral ends capable of receiving a nail beyond the upper edge of an underlying unit; after laying the first course of shingles, a second course may be placed with the aid of the clips I in position in the holes a, bringing into superposed relation the notches I2 and edge 20, and, if desired by alignment with notches I3, I3 in the upper inclined edges of the units I0 or II, of the upper edges of the newly-placed course so as to provide for a precalculated underlap of the upper inclined edges of the units, already laid, under the lower inclined edges of the units being positioned. Referring to Fig. 9, in a preferred form lower points of the units ID are truncated at 20 and the two side points at 2|, 2|, equidistant from the vertical axis of lateral symmetry. The top angle may be truncated at 22, but merely to guard against irregular breaking off of this point in shipment or otherwise. The truncation of the side points is related to the production of the proper lap of one horizontal row of shingles over the next below. The truncation of the lower point at 20, which primarily for improvement of visual appearance of the roof as a whole, is of service in securing proper spacing and alignment of the tiers of shingles with the aid of clips I, as mentioned above, and of notches I2. symmetrically formed in each lower long side of the shingle close to the junction of that side with the end truncation at 2|. At the top point, and close to the ends of the top truncation, alignment nicks or notches I3, I3 may be formed.

In laying the shingles the first continuous horizontal row (which may be of half-shingles II, see Fig. 10, cut off on the line of the notches I2, I2, Fig. 9, laid with the severed edge on the line of the eave) are abutted laterally against each other with edges 2| in contact in any desired way. Thereafter all that need be done to align each shingle is to bring its lower point truncation 20 into register with the notches I2 which lie one on each side of the lateral abutment junction of two shingles of the laid tier, and to bring the upper inclined long sides of the said shingle into register with one upper notch l3 of one lower shingle and an upper notch l3 of the adjoining lower shingle. This centers the side truncations of the upper shingle over the vertical axis of the lower shingles and brings the long axis of the upper shingle into parallelism with the long axes of the underlying shingles. This avoids making any gauge marks on the roof.

In the device of Fig. 8, the notches I2 are replaced by the intersection of the edges of the lower lateral slope of the underlying unit with the truncated lower end of the overlying unit. The kind of shingle unit I0 herein disclosed contributes to increased economy of material without sacrifice of the integrity of the completed roof against water seepage under gravity or wind pressures. Such seepage is resisted by the extent vertically and the extent horizontally of the overlapment of one shingle over another; the

vertical extent of overlapment required for this is less than the horizontal extent. In practice heretofore with shingle units having diagonal overlapments, so far as I am aware, an unnecessary degree of vertical overlapment has been provided for, whereas the horizontal overlap is barely sufficient for good function. This is a consequence of the usual design of such shingles with diagonal exposed edges at to each other and 45 to the horizontal, with the remaining edges of their generally quadrilateral shapes at equally high angles. When laid, if such shingles are sufficiently overlapped in a horizontal sense, their vertical overlapment is unnecessarily large.

For any particular use, the degree of acuity of the end angles of the rhombic or lozenge-shaped shingle unit I0 shown in Figs. 1 and 9, and herein recommended, may be determined by laying out a right triangle in which base and altitude are proportional respectively to the required vertical and horizontal overlap, and making the shingle units so that the end angles are twice the angle so formed between the hypotenuse and altitude lines. I Since the vertical overlap is to be less than the horizontal, these end angles are less than 90. As shown, the end angles are between 71 and 72, so that, laid, the diagonal exposed edges are at angles of from 35 to 36 to the horizontal, and of the order 108 .to 110 to each other. In every part of the overlap between the shingles, the horizontal dimension of the overlap exceeds the vertical dimension of the overlap,

for example substantially in the proportion of 17 to 12. The position of the end truncations of the units 2i controls .the actual dimensions of the overlap, but not the proportion between its vertical and horizontal dimensions.

As compared with practice in which the end angles are right angles] the saving of material for equal areas of roof covered amounts to about 8% The more obtuse angle of theexposed edges of the lozenge shaped shingles contributes to a more pleasing architectural appearance.

Referring now to Fig. 2, in a preferred form of construction on a wooden deck 10, this may first be covered with a suitable paper or felt I, a starting course of half-shingles ii, Figs. 1 and 10, laid at the eaves, and the courses comprised of units Hi applied and nailed to the sheathing w by nails through the holes d as illustrated at 11, Figs. 1 and 2, whereupon a second course and third course are laid to overlap to the left and right of the axis of lateral symmetry or center line of the units of the previous courses, as shown in Fig. 1, shingle units out on vertical lines being employed at the ends of courses. The lower end of the shingles of the second and third courses are interlocked to the preceding course by the clips 4 in proximity to the point of attachment by the nails 12 of the preceding course, as illustrated in Fig. l.

Clips of the kind explained are useful where it is desirable to connect together a second and third layer of shingle units in any form or lay of roofing units; for example in the lateral or Dutch lap mode of laying; or in the American or staggered overlap on horizontal or staggered courses; or indeed in any situation requiring a sound and convenient binding together of the free ends or edges of overlapping units.

It will be observed that forces tending to separate shingles conjoined by these clips are resisted by the tensile strength of the portion 3, and that the bearing on the lowermost shingle of a pair conjoined is the relatively long surface of base portion 2, whereas the bearing on the top shingle of the pair conjoined is the long surface of the top Q. The tie between the two shingles is thus effected by the tensile resistance of a strong connection over their edges between portions 2 and 4. These clips can be afllxed after nailing the shingles down, and aflixing them requires no loss of time by blind threading of a hole from behind the surface; thehooks can be readily entered from the face side of the shingle units into their holes 0.. Since is not necessary to place the clips between successive nailings of shingles, the workman can lay and nail them very rapidly, and by placing the clips as a separate operation, requires less time for this than if he had to alternate handling of nails and clips.

For'the purposes of this specification, the matters described apply as well to and for the construction of a side wall, which is no more than a vertical roof, without change of construction or function.

I do not herein claim the species which involves the combination of my anchorage clips with a 1. Clip for shingle units formed of malleable 5 round wire 'and having a portion constituting a top and a portion constituting a base, said portions being bent at angles to the plane of an integral connecting portion, the base portion extending substantially at a right angle to said connecting portion and being flattened transversely to said plane to afford a wedge-like end portion, the top portion being at a greater angle to said connecting portion, said top portion having an intumed flattened hook in the plane of said connecting portion, said hook having an extremity inclined inwardly toward said connecting portion whereby the base may be located beneath the lower of two shingle units with the connecting portion juxtaposed to'the edges of said units, and the top may be bent down to position the brook within an opening in the upper unit, the extremity of the hook being automatically clinched about the wall of the opening due to the bending of its inclined extremity'in contact with the surand a portion constituting a base, said portions being bent at angles to the plane of an integral connecting portion, the base portion extending substantially at a right angle to said connecting portion and being flattened transversely to said plane to afford a wedge-like end, the top portion being at a greater angle to said connecting portion, said top portion having an inturned hook in the plane of said connecting portion, said hook having a flattened, relatively wide extremity inclined inwardly toward said conjoining portion whereby the base may be located beneath the lower of two shingle units, the connecting portion being juxtaposed to the edges of said units and the top may be bent down to position the hook within an opening in the upper unit, the extremity of the hook being automatically clinched about the wall of the opening due to the bending of its inclined extremity in contact with the surface of the lower unit so that said extremity lies between the units and extends toward the connecting portion.

3. Roof comprising a deck and shingle units of substantially rhombic form having truncated ends and a truncated lower portion with notches ad- 5 joining the truncated ends and disposed adjoining the truncated lower portions of shingles of another course, nails securing concealed portions of the shingles to the deck, openings asymmetrically arranged in relation to lower truncated edges of the units, a clip engaging each open ing and a notch of an adjoining underlying unit, said clip having a base extending under the end of the underlying unit, a connecting portion juxtaposed to edge surfaces of an underlying and overlying unit, a top extending over the exposed surface of an overlying unit and a hook in the hole asymmetrically arranged in the upper unit and having an extremity clinched under the overlying unit and engaging the upper surface of the underlying unit.

' WILLIAM L. ROWE. 

